Peter Oppegard
American retired pair skater and coach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Peter Allen Oppegard (born August 23, 1959)[1] is an American retired pair skater and coach. With his partner Jill Watson, he is the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist and a three-time U.S. national champion.
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Oppegard in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | August 23, 1959 Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure skating career | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Skating club | LAFSC (Los Angeles Figure Skating Club) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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In May 2022, Oppegard was suspended for one month by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for misconduct.[2]
Career
Oppegard initially paired with Vicki Heasley. He began competing with Watson in 1985. In their career, Watson and Oppegard won three national titles, a world bronze medal, an Olympic bronze medal, and various other medals. During Watson and Oppegard's free skate at the 1988 Olympics, a photographer dropped his camera bag onto the ice and an usher walked onto the ice to pick it up while the pair was performing an overhead lift.[3]
As a coach, his skaters have won ten national singles and pairs titles. The Professional Skaters Association and US Figure Skating named Oppegard "Choreographer of the Year" and "Coach of the Year".[4] He coached at the East West Ice Palace in southern California until 2018.[2]
Personal life
Oppegard was married to Karen Kwan, sister of world champion figure skater Michelle Kwan. As of 2017, they were estranged.[2]
Abuse allegations and suspension
In February 2021, USA Today reported that Oppegard had been under investigation by the United States Center for SafeSport since July 2020 for allegations of physical abuse, including throwing coffee and hot water at skaters he coached at the East West Ice Palace. American pairs skater Jessica Pfund also alleged that Oppegard bit her on the upper right arm during a training session in 2013, when Pfund was 15 years old.[2][5] In May 2022, Oppegard was suspended for one month by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for "physical and emotional" misconduct.[2][6]
Results
With Watson
| International | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 84–85 | 85–86 | 86–87 | 87–88 |
| Winter Olympics | 3rd | |||
| World Championships | 4th | 6th | 3rd | 6th |
| Fujifilm Trophy | 1st | |||
| NHK Trophy | 2nd | |||
| Skate America | 1st | |||
| National | ||||
| U.S. Championships | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st |